In Two Weeks, 79 Govt Doctors In Hyderabad Test Positive For COVID-19, 49 From One Hospital

As the COVID-19 cases in India spiral out of control, setting new one-day high, almost every day, the frontline healthcare workers are putting themselves at an ever-increasing threat of contracting the virus themselves, due to the exposure with patients.

This is happening at a time when the medical fraternity needs all hands on deck to combat the challenge. While doctors and other healthcare workers across the country are testing positive for COVID-19, what is happening in Hyderabad is a matter of concern. In the past two weeks alone 79 doctors from six government hospitals have tested positive for COVID in Hyderabad.

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According to Dr. G Srinivas, president, Resident Doctors Association, NizamĄ¯s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) 49 doctors at the Osmania Medical College, 26 doctors of NIMS, and 4 at Gandhi Medical College have tested positive. Doctors at Modern Government Maternity Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, King Koti Hospital have also tested positive after which over 400 doctors and staff who have come in contact with them are in quarantine.

Last week, the Telangana-Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) said that 32 doctors have tested positive for COVID-19 in Osmania Medical College affiliated hospitals.

"32 working doctors have been tested positive for coronavirus till now. As COVID-19 cases are increasing day by day in our state especially in the GHMC area and also nearly 32 Doctors tested positive in Osmania Medical College affiliated hospitals (many tests reports awaited)," Uma Nagendra Vishnu, President, T-JUDA said.

Despite the government's repeated assurance that there is no shortage of PPE kits, doctors have long complained that they do not get adequate protective equipment.

"Many healthcare workers are afraid of their family members getting infected and are requesting accommodation as per the circular. Hence, we requested the Health Department to provide accommodation to willing healthcare workers. PPE kits and N-95 masks provided for duty are of poor quality and are intermittently and insufficiently supplied," Vishnu had said.

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"The number of medicos affected is really a concern for me and hence I wanted to visit and convey that we are with you. Don't worry," Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan who on Monday visited NIMS said. The governor said she wanted to convey moral support to doctors, staff nurses and paramedics and also to sanitary workers, policemen and media persons who are all first line warriors in the fight against coronavirus. "Most of the medicos here got infected while doing procedures to save patients. The purpose of my visit is to give moral support to the first line warriors," she said.